[4] Glasobelisk

Description

The Glass Obelisk of Steinbach a.Wald is a symbol – it stands for the local glass industry, which has a tradition here, and is also a declaration of the local living space. The location for the obelisk was chosen deliberately: the sculpture sits in the midst of the first large roundabout in Kronach district – where the watershed between the Elbe and the Rhine lies and where the famous long-distance path Rennsteig runs. The watershed is also marked by an obelisk, dating from 1850. It stands not far from here at the intersection of Federal Road 85 with the Rennsteig. So the glass obelisk references a historical predecessor.

The idea for the new glass obelisk came from a student at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences for Design. Her design won first place in the ideas competition for the roundabout’s design. The eight-meter-tall and two-and-a-half-meter-wide obelisk was erected in 2003. It consists of individual glass panes mounted on a metal frame. Blue glass fragments are melted into the panes, bending the sunlight. The obelisk is impressive also when it is dark: at night it is illuminated from inside and can be seen from afar as a blue light column.

The glitter and glow of the obelisk is a signal that leaves a lasting impression – for locals as well as visitors and passers-by: the glow stands for the strength of this region and its economy. And it inspires future engagement here as well. In this spirit, the obelisk was dedicated with the words: “May it shine into a good future!”